


There But For Fortune

by tenley



Category: Metal Gear
Genre: Alcohol, M/M, Pre-Slash, idk or maybe they're together and otacon is just awkward and bad with flirting, it's kinda ambiguous
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-09
Updated: 2016-01-09
Packaged: 2018-05-12 20:41:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 509
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5680012
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tenley/pseuds/tenley
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>a moment between friends. small, but massive.</p><p>title from a joan baez song.</p>
            </blockquote>





	There But For Fortune

It's three beers in for Hal when he says, “Did you know I'm proud of you?”

“What?” is all David can reply with, 4 beers in.

“I just. I'm really proud of you,” Hal says, unhelpful. He goes to grab David's thigh, misses once, twice before latching on, squeezing. David's breath hitches somewhere in his chest. Longing.

“What for?”

Hal shrugs. “I dunno,” he mumbles. He lets go of Dave after an absentminded pat. “Just. For being so strong.”

Dave tilts his head against the back of the couch, suddenly feeling dizzy, but he keeps an eye on Hal's distant face. “How?”

“I. You just… you've gone through so much,” and Hal's voice begins to tremble. His eyes are watering, Dave thinks. This kind of empathy should make him uncomfortable, but he just drinks it up, nostrils flaring, eyes glinting. “You're still here and I'm proud. Glad I got to meet you is all.” A shrug.

“Feeling sentimental about our anniversary?” David asks with a smirk to match his flirty words. Hal would probably turn pink like usual, if he weren't already from the alcohol.

Cute.

“Maybe.” Hal leans back, too. “Just thinking. Feeling thankful for all the people who protected you.”

“Fox.”

“Yeah.”

A surprisingly comfortable silence falls between them, the air heavy with understanding. Dave closes his eyes and lets himself feel it. Like he only could when he had a few drinks in him. He leans his head against Hal's shoulder, smiles slightly at how Hal doesn't jump like he normally would. “I wanna talk about him.”

“Yeah?” Hal asks, shoulder shifting, and Dave knows his nose is in his hair. “Not painful?”

It's hardly a coherent question, but Dave understands, nods against Hal's bony shoulder. “Yeah. But I need to.”

“Okay. Whenever you want.”

Dave is quiet for a few moments, and both of them think he's not going to continue for a moment until the words spill out of his mouth.

“I was in love with him,” David admits, voice wavering. “I never figured out if he loved me. But he cared. Protected me. And I loved him for it.”

“Me, too.”

David turns his face into the crook of Hal's neck, breathes in the scent of his skin before pressing a kiss there. “Yeah. I know.”

Suddenly Hal is laughing, and Dave is almost ready to be offended when Hal offers, “'S funny. I was so afraid to come to you and ask you if you wanted to join us. Was… afraid… we were too different.”

“Yeah?” Dave asks against Hal's throat, amused.

“Mhm. Because… I knew we would, y'know, have to work together. Spend a lot of time together. An’ I was scared you'd think I was gross or weird or something. Too different.” Hal sighs, his breath ruffling Dave's hair. “But we weren't that different at all. Not really. Kinda cliche, huh?”

Dave snorts. “Guess you're right.” He pauses to think. "Guess that makes you pretty strong too, don't you think? Brave."

Nothing else is said before they fall asleep together.

**Author's Note:**

> super short, but... i think that's how this works best, y'know? it's just a moment. i think moments like these are what really define these two, and i wanted to capture that. 
> 
> i also wanted to work on my dialogue writing capabilities, which i'm kind of insecure about -- so comments (especially constructive criticism) would be SUPER appreciated!
> 
> thanks for reading (:


End file.
